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PODCAST

Describing The Skybox

Describing The Skybox

WELCOME TO DESCRIBING THE SKYBOX! We are a fortnightly, book club-styled podcast in which we attempt to go in-depth on an individual video game and figure out what makes it unique. Episodes are around an hour to an hour and a half long and primarily feature free form discussion on themes and mechanics present in each episode’s titular game. Bear in mind that we are not reviewers, so as far as we critique the games at hand, our intent is not to convince you to play any particular work. SPOILER

games & hobbies video games

All Episodes

01:15:42

Episode 47 - Never Stop Twisting - Superhot

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/09/02

Podcasts are software, bodies are disposable. Welcome back to NOCLIP, where this week we're going to be breaking down Superhot. The central gimmick to Superhot is controlling time. Time only progresses when you move, turning the skill set required for a first person shooter completely on its head. This makes for a more contemplative, though still tense, experience. The mechanical themes of this short game are incredibly strong, but unfortunately, looking further into the narrative can distract you

en-US

01:29:50

Episode 46 - Sword Arm Online - Severed

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/08/19

Sasha, come outside. It's time you learned how to podcast. This week on NOCLIP, we're going to be talking about Drinkbox Studio's Severed. Severed makes use of the touch screens prevalent in modern devices by creating a frenetic sword fighting dungeon crawler while striking a very somber tone. The pieces fit so well together, and we enjoyed our time with this game so much that it's one of the few games we've covered that we absolutely recommend getting and playing if you've never heard of it, or

en-US

01:45:38

Episode 45 - Huckster Fish - Metroid Prime

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/08/05

Once our podcast here is complete, we will peer inward and discover the truth. Thanks for joining us this week as we talk about Metroid Prime. A severe turn from the appearance of previous Metroid games, Prime retains a lot of the DNA that makes up the series it belongs to, despite the shift in perspective. Because of these similarities, design appears to have been focused around making a traditional Metroid game play well in first person and were generally successful enough that the game has

en-US

01:19:28

Episode 44 - Phone Hom - Hotline Miami

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/07/23

Who's leaving podcasts on your answering machine? Welcome back to the show this week. We're going to be talking about Dennaton's Hotline Miami, an ultra violent top down beat 'em up that became a bit of an indie darling at the time of its release in 2012. While we end up thinking the game misses its narrative mark, the games punishing but intensely satisfying mechanics combine well with the cocaine-fueled pseudo '80s aesthetic making the game difficult to put down. We're going to be talking about

en-US

01:18:54

Episode 43 - Atlus Shrugged - Trauma Center: Second...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/07/08

How can I work under a doctor that doesn't even try to podcast? Welcome back to NOCLIP! This week we're going to be dissecting Atlus's Trauma Center: Second Opinion, a Wii game that used the Wii Remote to simulate surgery of all things. An expanded version of Under the Knife on the DS, Trauma Center changes up its control scheme for the console and creates an entertaining and incredibly challenging game that manages to feel unique and interesting over a decade after its release. We're going to be

en-US

01:15:04

Bonus Episode - Rollin' Coal - GOCLIP

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/07/04

NOCLIP. Innovation comes standard. Apologies for missing a week, our Trauma Center episode will be going up this Saturday. In the meantime, what you're going to be listening to today is more of a general discussion podcast. We had the (retrospectively not super bright) idea of duct taping our microphone to the dashboard of my car while we took a trip and recorded our conversation. Because of this, the audio quality isn't up to our usual standard, but I think the discussion topics we cover warrant

en-US

01:35:09

Episode 42 - Better Than Punching the Pope - Metal...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/06/17

Do you think a podcast can bloom, even on a battlefield? Welcome back to NOCLIP this week, where we're going to be discussing Konami's classic stealth action game, Metal Gear Solid. Before Konami went complete off the rails and their business philosophy drifted toward "we hate Kojima," they released one of the most prolific stealth games of all time which spawned an extremely popular series, lauded by players and critics alike. We crack open the first of the series to examine how it holds up today

en-US

01:37:01

Episode 41 - Cool Guy Cat Coffee Cafe Connoisseur -...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/06/03

Like a bolt from the blue, it's time for the podcast review, Welcome back to NOCLIP, today we're going to be talking about Square's unique DS Action RPG that is absolutely JAM PACKED with mechanics. Like an environmentally conscious hunter, Square uses every part of the console from the touch screen to the microphone to the internal clock to govern the myriad systems that sacrifice user accessibility for a complicated and ultimately satisfying combat system that has you constantly doing something,

en-US

01:48:54

Episode 40 - Cheetah? Too Regular! - Bayonetta

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/05/20

I don't think I've got time to entertain your blather. I'd much rather hear it straight from your podcast .Thanks for joining us again this week while we talk about Bayonetta. Platinum's flagship franchise started with this send-up of classic Devil May Cry games featuring satisfying action combat and a tone that's straight out of grindhouse cinema. We talk about combo systems, Bayonetta's character design and the cultural ramifications thereof, and the best Subway sandwich advertisement of all

en-US

01:36:05

Episode 39 - Regular People Eating Lunch - Inside

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/05/06

NOCLIP is recorded inside of a dead studio audience, This week on NOCLIP we're going to be talking about Playdead's Inside. Inside is the second puzzle platformer from the developer of Limbo and the evolution in design is immediately apparent. The game evokes a dark tone in a way that is incredibly effective given its presentation. We discuss striking visual design, puzzle difficulty and pacing and how deep underwater you can be before you can no longer make friends. Thanks for checking us out

en-US

01:59:16

Episode 38 - Ancient Sheikah Power Windows - The...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/04/22

The Blood Cast rises once again... Welcome back to NOCLIP as we finish out our discussion on Breath of the Wild and are joined again by Dan and Janelle. With the formalities out of the way, we get into the depths of the design of the dungeons and the ways in which you interact with the physical world. We're going to be talking about physics simulations and weapon degradation in games, the lifespan of narrative tropes in the medium, and the... it's a... well it's a door that's like... it's

en-US

01:30:33

Episode 38 - Hundred Year Fluid Nap - The Legend of...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/04/09

The podcast that must shine upon Hyrule once again, Welcome back to NOCLIP, where this week we are beginning our discussion on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and we're joined by our friends Janelle and Dan. This game's release is an event for a number of reasons, as it launched a new Nintendo console and represents a departure from what most would consider the way a traditional Zelda game works. The fact that it has been embraced by fans of the series in light of this is testament to how

en-US

01:46:11

Episode 37 - Bench Press the World - Overwatch

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/03/25

The world needs podcasts, This episode of NOCLIP is going to look at Blizzard's populous dominating FPS, Overwatch. The key to the overwhelming reaction to this game seems to be the game's near universally appealing design that was assembled and iterated on from a number of sources. We're going to dive into that design and see why this game keeps us playing it for a number of hours that is frankly embarrassing. We talk about incredible character design, the reasons behind frequently balancing and

en-US

01:33:13

Episode 36 - Number One Womb - Earthbound

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/03/12

You cannot grasp the true form of Giygas's podcast, This week, we're going to be talking about one of the most interesting RPGs to come out of the SNES era, Earthbound. Known as Mother 2 in Japan, Earthbound is the first entry in the Mother series to be released in the States and despite underselling on its initial release has developed a cult following and it's tone and visuals have inspired both game players and developers for years, and we haven't seen too many games that are this unusual and

en-US

01:50:45

Episode 35 - The Eldritch Truth About Yellow - The...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/02/25

Once we're done with this whole thing, I'm gonna teach you how to podcast. Yeah, I reckon you'd really like that. Welcome to NOCLIP this week, and this time we're talking about The Last of Us. One of the most popular games to release on the PS3, Naughty Dog's take on the zombie apocalypse got a lot of people talking about the narrative elements of games, including a lot of people who seldom considered games to be a great storytelling medium beforehand. We break down that story, as well as the game

en-US

02:22:10

Episode 34 - Horse, Adjective; Murderer, Profession -...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/02/11

We are born by the cast, made men by the cast, pod by the cast, Welcome back to NOCLIP everyone! Having established ourselves as a podcast that likes to talk about Dark Souls, we sit down to talk about FROM's Souls-alike game Bloodborne. Despite the fact that the games do have a lot in common and share the majority of their major design points, we find a lot to talk about to differentiate the two series and talk about the points that make Bloodborne a unique experience in its own right. We discuss

en-US

01:44:18

Episode 33 - Acceptable to Above Acceptable - Metroid...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/01/28

When Adam decided who would podcast, he chose incorrectly, Welcome to NOCLIP and this week we're talking about Metroid Fusion, the first GBA game in the series and one that attempted to add an explicit narrative with dialogue and also dial back the difficulty present in previous Metroid games. The result is a game that feels very unlike its predecessors, but still manages to nail a tone and be enjoyable to play. We talk about claustrophobic level design, conveyance of tone, and a non-threatening

en-US

00:44:30

Bonus Episode - Some Confetti Falls, Balloons Fall -...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/01/21

Our top 3 games (each) that released in 2016 After a full year of podcasting, we've decided to do an obligatory January retrospective episode. We sat down and talked about what games really gripped us this year, and generally speak to why these games were successful, which games we think are interesting and what really failed to meet expectations. Not much more explanation is necessary, so let's get to the high-octane, hyperinteresting blathering. Hope you enjoy this bonus episode, and check out

en-US

01:36:50

Episode 32 - Ripped Apart by Eagles - Guitar Hero and...

Describing The Skybox ·

2017/01/15

If the Police Aren't Complaining, You're Not Podcasting Loud Enough, Thanks for joining us for our second series examination where we're looking at the genre defining games of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. We look back on why these games were so immersive, and why they started a sensation in a way no other rhythm games could. Basically, we're looking at plastic guitar peripherals. We talk about the popularity of Rock and Roll, difficulty of Metal music, and the differences between a human being and

en-US

01:31:02

Episode 31 - He Might Be a Car - Rascal

Describing The Skybox ·

2016/12/31

Five Out of Five Podcasters Agree, Rascal is Terrible, Thanks for joining us, and our guests Dan and Steven, again this week while we talk about an objectively awful game, Rascal on the Playstation. Developed by Traveler's Tales, Rascal is a mostly unheard-of action platformer that focuses on a young boy traveling through time to shoot enemies with bubbles and rescue his father. As exciting as this might sound, Rascal is truly a masterclass in poor design decisions and a lack of understanding of

en-US

337 results

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